https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/san-franciscos-free-syringes-littering-streets-55085379

San Francisco's many free syringes are littering its streets
By The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO — May 10, 2018

A used syringe is shown on a sidewalk in San Francisco, Thursday, May 10, 2018. The city of San Francisco hands out millions of syringes a year to drug users but has little control over how they are later discarded and thats contributing to dirty stThe Associated Press
A used syringe is shown on a sidewalk in San Francisco, Thursday, May 10, 2018. The city of San Francisco hands out millions of syringes a year to drug users but has little control over how they are later discarded and that's contributing to dirty streets and hundreds of complaints.

San Francisco hands out millions of syringes a year to drug users but has little control over how they are discarded and that's contributing to thousands of complaints.

The city distributes an estimated 400,000 syringes each month through various programs aimed at reducing HIV and other health risks for drug users. About 246,000 syringes are discarded through the city's 13 syringe access and disposal sites. But thousands of the others end up on streets, in parks and other public areas, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Thursday.

Syringes discarded in public places have become a nationwide problem amid growing heroin use. But in compact San Francisco (about 50 square miles, or 12,950 square hectares), where there is a growing homeless population, the problem is a lot more visible.

Last year, the city's logged more than 9,500 requests for needle pick-up. This year, there has been more than 3,700 requests already.

Still, the city has no plans to change its policy of handing out unlimited numbers of needles.............